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Everton 2 - 2 Newcastle United

Well it should have been a thoroughly enjoyable evening. It was for the most part but then Everton suck you back in a way only they know how. Drawing 2-2 from being 2-0 in the 93rd minute of 94, the two goals being the only two shots on target the visitors had all game, really takes some doing, even for Everton. We’ve seen a lot of nonsense over the years but this season really takes some doing.

The evening had gone smoothly up until then. Gaz picked me up from work and then grabbed Dan and Alfie on route. The beer went down smoothly in the pub, as did the free hot dogs. Despite the disappointing showing at the London Stadium we were all optimistic our depleted lads could be their depleted team. On we marched to Goodison confidently and the way we began the game, it was with good reason. It began at a high tempo with both teams getting stuck in, but we had the edge. We were getting on the ball more, dictating play and creating openings. The crowd were in good voice and on around 25 minutes Moise Kean drove at goal from distance but Martin Dubravka saved.

You sensed something was in the offing and it was on the half hour mark when Bernard lofted a lovely ball in to Moise Kean who controlled, took it inside onto his right foot and brought the house down when his shot went through Dubravka and into the centre of the net. Everyone delighted for the lad and he celebrated in style…less of the silly handshakes with Dominic though please! The half time cider with Gary went down a treat.

We were coasting quite frankly. More motivated? More quality? Less depleted? Less tired? Buoyed by an expectant and believing home crowd? Take your pick but we slaughtered Newcastle United. We were all over them for nearly all of this game. Dominic Calvert-Lewin took his goal ever so well. I doubt he’d have scored that 10 games or so ago. His first time left foot finish was delightful. At 2-0 on 54 minutes you could only see one result.

More goals should have followed. Dominic’s sweeping drive was well saved. Bernard very nearly scored when he cut inside and shot, and Mason Holgate twice came close from corner kicks. Yerry Mina also missed an unbelievable chance when well teed up by Theo Walcott.

We were home and dry. Newcastle United didn’t even really believe they could get anything out of the game when, deep into injury time, we got ourselves into a bit of a muddle and gave away an unnecessary corner kick, which resulted in the ball acrobatically put into the net by Florain Lejeune.

Though everyone around me seemed to know better I was honestly unconcerned. I mean, though I had no official clock in front of me I figured it must have been the 93rd minute at least. We had a restart. All we had to do was bury the ball deep into their corner flag and that would be that.

Alas, Everton are a constant disappointment, and even this seemingly menial task they are incapable of. At the restart the ball was given back to Fabian Delph. My preferred option would have been for he to roll it back to Jordan Pickford. He was very accurate in finding the stands all game and one more time would have been perfect. Instead Fabian lofted it diagonally though nowhere near the corner or the touchline. The ball remained in play. Newcastle United instantly regained possession, and Tom Davies, though I don’t recall exactly what happened, gave away a free kick on the half way line. We all dropped back. We’re now in the 95th minute. Why are we even still playing? How has this nightmare unfolded? Newcastle United even played the ball short in the first instance, and then lofted it into the box. It all seems to happen in slow motion but the ball is eventually bundled goalwards by Florian Lejeune. Being behind it in the Gwladys Street, I thought we’d got away with it as Jordan Pickford saved on what seemed to be the goal line. However the referee signalled for a goal and Newcastle United players ran off towards their supporters in delirium. Having seen a photo of the goal, I’m dumbfounded as to why Jordan is about a yard inside his own goal when it goes over the line. I’m also befuddled as to why the full time whistle hadn’t gone. It was the 95th minute of 94 for heavens sake.

I doubt my friends and I are alone in just being fed up of this same old script. Everton always find a way to ruin you. We should be used to it by now, though somehow we’re not.

It’s no excuse for the player’s surrender, but am I alone in being continually mystified by Carlos’ substitutions? I’m happy to have a manager of his pedigree. I like the way he carries himself and I’m behind him. I’m not professing to know more about football than he, but am I alone in wondering why we are having constantly unnecessary reshuffles late in games? Was it really necessary to put Oumar Niasse on the pitch? Would another centre back then not have been a better idea? Or Anthony Gordon perhaps? It’s not the first time, he’s done this in every game so far I think. He’s still getting to know his players, but the changes don’t seem logical to me.

I also read this beauty from Carlo on Twitter from his post-match press conference:

“The players are really sad for this moment. I said to them I lost the Champions League after winning 3-0, these things happen.”

We know Carlo. We bloody know.

Player ratings:

Pickford: Nothing to do until the end but then he couldn’t do it. Poor distribution throughout. 4

Digne: Not bad in the main, though his poor clearance was a factor which lead to Newcastle United coming back in. 5

Holgate: Very good throughout but may have nightmares about conceding that late corner when it probably wasn’t necessary. 7

Mina: Very good mostly. 7

Sidibe: Did OK. 6

Schneiderlin: Mopped up pretty well. 6

Delph: Mostly quite good, but what that ball was from the restart I just don’t know. 6

Bernard: Was outstanding in the time he was on the field and deserved to be on the winning team. My man of the match. 8

Walcott: Played well on the right and also did well when played through the middle. Come to think of it, I don’t know why he’s never been given a run there. 7

Kean: Once he’d scored that goal it was as if a weight had been lifted off him and all of a sudden he was confident, taking players on and playing with freedom. Hopefully the big positive of the evening can be the awakening of Moise. 8

Calvert-Lewin: Lead the line superbly and got his rewards with his goal. Deserved to win the game. 8

Substitutes:

Coleman (for Kean): Held his position well. 6

Davies (for Bernard): I’m not privy to his instructions of course but there was too much fancy stuff for me when he should have been more no nonsense. His ball to Lucas wasn’t the easiest for our left back, which ultimately resulted in Newcastle United’s first goal. He then also gave away a free kick for our second goal. I’m a big fan of Tom’s but his lack of maturity really showed here. 5

Niasse (for Walcott): How he has survived all this time at Everton is quite the debacle. A very poor player not fit for purpose at Everton. 4

Reader Comments (40)

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Billy Bradshaw 1Posted
22/01/2020 at
00:22:45

Type or paste your comment here. PLEASE capitalise initial letters of proper names and use proper grammar. No txt-speak; all-lowercase posts are likely to be deleted

Lester Yip 2Posted
22/01/2020 at
00:26:20

I think Sidibe made 2 very important challenges to prevent a one on one and a close ranged header. Without those we would be behind before our first goal. I would give him 8.

Digne is poor. His crosses is either cleared quite easily or found no one. His corner kicks and free kicks are as bad.

With 2 goals in hands I don't think it is a bad idea to protect the lead. Tactically I don't think there is anything wrong. The problem is players' application.

Simon Dalzell 3Posted
22/01/2020 at
00:36:57

Your'e by no means on your own regarding his subs. Paul. Not just this game. Silva and Koeman were very poor in that department too. Especially the Niasse one seems baffling. Billy makes a fair point at NO. 1

Dick Fearon 4Posted
22/01/2020 at
00:53:01

Paul, you summed it up correctly, debacle indeed. Congratulations to all 3 scorers.

Carlo has been here for a month but surely that is long enough to weigh up the merits of Naiise.

Steve Carse 5Posted
22/01/2020 at
01:03:14

When you're coasting and amazed at how poor the opposition are; when you're treating Niasse coming on as something to be taken just as a joke; when you're not bothered if we are missing opportunities because, after all, the game's all but over; when the prospect of a longer than usual post -match victory bevvy draws you to the exit gates before the end of the 90 minutes; when your manager waves to Gwladys St in response to the crowd singing his name then you know it's all going to end in tears. And so it came to pass.

For we are Everton.

Paul Ward 6Posted
22/01/2020 at
01:12:17

What arrogance by AC to shut up shop with 20 minutes to go. When he knows how piss poor our defense is.

We are back to zonal marking and that means every set piece spells danger.

David Ellis 7Posted
22/01/2020 at
01:37:31

On the substititutions . I think they were fine. Putting on an extra CB merely invites more pressure and changes the shape which had been working so well. SpecificallyNiasse runs around a lot and disrupts the opposition, gives them something else to worry about - I can see why he would be useful as a late sub if we are trying to kill the game.Bringing on Coleman for Kean (with Walcott moving to the middle and Sidibie moving wide right) makes them team more solid defensively without changing the shape (which had dominated the game).Davies is more defensively minded than Bernard - again no change in shape.All makes sense to me. OK we somehow didn't win the game but that's down to poor game management.

Derek Thomas 8Posted
22/01/2020 at
02:22:12

Niasse; hero, comes on when we're 0-2 down and scores to make it 2-2. Then villain...not on hisown though, eh Carlo, (just run about up front son and keep their back 4 occupied) eh Tom, not for the first time with the give aways...sometimes if it ain't broke - well you know the rest.

DCL has done his England call chances up no harm though.

Mick Davies 9Posted
22/01/2020 at
02:25:12

The big debate on here lately about our young players centred on Holgate, DCL and Davies: the first two have been improving exponentially, but the big disappointment is the latter: and tonight, besides the mistakes you pointed out Paul, he made a pathetic attempt at a jump to defend our 2-1 lead, then stood there watching instead of getting stuck in. I really don't think he has a football brain, and seems to get himself into allsorts of bother, then inevitably loses the ball in dangerous areas. Why he was introduced when our midfield was doing ok is beyond me, and in my opinion, had a huge bearing on the final result

Bob Parrington 10Posted
22/01/2020 at
02:49:04

Unbelievable. We should have been out of sight by the closing stages of this game.

Look, I know this was a ridiculous end to the game but there were many positive moments, too. Kean played a great game and scored a well-deserved goal. The work rate of the team was excellent and there were many coordinated team moves. Bernard had a stormer of a game and I agree Paul with him being MotM.

I question the timing of their second as it was at about 94.75 minutes when there was supposed to have been only 4 minutes of time added.

Jimmy Digney 11Posted
22/01/2020 at
04:31:01

Stop going on about the subs, they never cost us the three points, some of you need to get real. The manager is dealing with predominantly dross, he is not a miracle worker.

Andy McNabb 12Posted
22/01/2020 at
06:41:31

Apparently optimists have more fun and I stupidly and uncharacteristically predicted a 2-0 score line.

My son, daughter in law and 13 month granddaughter were there from Australia and as I drove to school I was well chuffed with myself predicting the right score and imagined how pleased they would be in what is a rare trip back.

What I stupid idiot I am. This is Everton of course And my family members ended up traumatized. At least pessimists get to say I told you so.

Ian Edwards 13Posted
22/01/2020 at
07:16:06

Jimmy 11. Subs did costs us. We tried to sit on a lead and it allowed Newcastle to come at us. If it wasn't for Trossard hitting the bar for Brighton it would have happened in that game as well.

Jimmy Digney 14Posted
22/01/2020 at
07:26:58

Ian Edwards, so what yer saying is, when players are getting tired, don't use subs???

How did they contribute to the last minute debacle in the game. The Hit and hope ball into the box?

Ian Edwards 15Posted
22/01/2020 at
07:47:53

Paul 6. Spot on. He got away with it when he did the same v Brighton and Trossard hit the bar. You can't sit on leads. Didn't he learn anything from Istanbul?? I fear more painful ends to games unless he changes.

John Raftery 16Posted
22/01/2020 at
08:28:13

There were plenty of positives in the performances of our front four In the first eighty minutes. Carlo dropped a clanger in taking three of them off because we lost control of the game for the final ten minutes.

We are always liable to concede from a set piece free kick or corner. So allowing Newcastle to score in the final minute from a corner was hardly a surprise. But why oh why from the restart was the ball not launched to the far corner flag? We can change the manager overnight but it takes much longer to change the players or their collective mentality.

Ryan Holroyd 17Posted
22/01/2020 at
08:50:48

I don't blame Ancelotti. I blame our gutless, spineless, useless footballers of which we have many.

Delph has been a disaster of a signing. He's absolutely woeful and another shocking signing by Marcel Brands

Andy Codling 18Posted
22/01/2020 at
08:58:08

Tom Davies cost us against Leicester in the dying minute, what was he doing farting round with the ball and playing a poor pass to Digne?Davies has not progressed and is a liability, not good enough at this level!

Nicholas Ryan 19Posted
22/01/2020 at
09:02:51

If J. Pickford is still an employee of this Club at 5.00 pm today, then I am emigrating to France at 6.00 pm.

Michael Nisbet 20Posted
22/01/2020 at
09:03:55

I only blame Ancelotti for this one. The players did nothing wrong throughout. When Kean came off for Coleman, our shape changed and so did the tide of the game. We weren't even close to being troubled until that happened. Ancelotti called for the players to be more brave, but it was his lack of bravery that caused the end result in my opinion.

Paul Cherrington 21Posted
22/01/2020 at
09:13:18

Set pieces are killing us and have been for many, many years now. Why hasn't any manager since Moyes drilled the players so they can deal with them effectively and not concede so many from them? It is killing us and has been for a while – why is it not being sorted out so we stop chucking points away?

Christopher Timmins 22Posted
22/01/2020 at
09:41:16

Bye bye January 2020, a terrible month for the club. Heading into February out of both Cup and stuck in the bottom half of the League. Every team from 3 downwards have been distinctly average for the past two months but we have failed to made significant headway.

The only positives I can take from the season to date are the new manager, DCL and Holgate.

I am hoping that I can add Kean, and the successful return of our long term injuries to the above list by the season end.

One wishes ones life away supporting this club, it's always the next transfer window that might improve things.

With regards to last night we played ok and were well on top against a very poor team and then there was a complete loss of nerve at the end of the game.

Bill Fairfield 23Posted
22/01/2020 at
10:07:23

Last time I marched to Goodison confidently must have been in the 1980s

John Nugent 24Posted
22/01/2020 at
10:21:43

This last few minutes debacle was completely down to very poor sub decisions by Ancelotti. Moise scores his first goal, he was on fire. Then he gets subbed with 30 minutes left. Why?? He is only 19 and clearly wasn't spent. The opposite in fact, he could have run through brick walls last night. Then Barnard who was bossing the game. Again he was full of running and we missed his effectiveness immediately. Change the shape of the team and you have potential problems, as came to pass. To even mention Niasse in the same context as Everton is a disgrace

Derek Taylor 25Posted
22/01/2020 at
10:28:35

Back to being generous with your rankings, Paul. I'd shave at least one point off every player just for being part of this ridiculous pantomime !

Our 'Super Manager' has lost the plot and it's had to happen whilst he's our man. Trying to get odds this morning that he will be gone by this time next year.

Michael Barrett 26Posted
22/01/2020 at
14:25:09

I've finished with them...reminds me after pickford through the ball in his own net at the end of the derby...they will be running around finch farm today laughing and joking...people need to realise that these wastes of space players don't give a fuck about Everton...that includes the manager...they are just here for the money..and allways will be.

Rob Halligan 27Posted
22/01/2020 at
15:09:08

Nick, # 19. See ya mate. John Robbo will be mightily disappointed.

Morris Kruger 28Posted
22/01/2020 at
15:42:00

To all my co -Everton friends Think on the bright side. Had there been 6 minutes of injury time and not 5. We would have in all likelihood have lost 2. 3. I thought when we lost to the red shite under 8 side it could never get worse. But our first team are clever and innovate. They managed to disgrace themselves at a new low !!! Any schoolboy team would know how to close out a match with 5 min to go. And certainly when I played goal keeper for my school team B team I knew you stand in front of your goal line and not behind. Makes you wonder who coaches those imbeciles Get paid a fortune for doing nothing. I live in South Africa and get taunted daily by my Liverpool friends. Thats bad enough. My heart aches for season ticket holders at Gooderson who pay to watch such drivel . grrrr

Mike Doyle 29Posted
22/01/2020 at
15:55:25

Morris 28] you are quite correct - another minute or 2 and Newcastle would most probably have scored again as collective panic set in again. To long-suffering blues this would have come as no surprise - as last March we lead 2-0 at Newcastle. On that occasion they started to play a bit earlier scoring the equaliser in the 81st minute and the winner in the 84th. Last night they were feeling more charitable and kindly let us have a point.6 of the players who represented us in March were also involved last night - so again a decent level of consistency was maintained.

martin c 30Posted
22/01/2020 at
16:53:23

We lack a captain. Until we have a true leader on the pitch, we are going to continue to be mentally fragile. Has anyone else counted down how many more games to go to before the summer. Please let it end. The last three managers have been a disaster. Carlo has a lot of work to do. Perhaps three years time may be a good time to pop back!

Rob Halligan 31Posted
22/01/2020 at
17:27:59

To all my co-Everton friends, had there been another 2 or 3 more minutes added on time, then in all likely, the game would have finished 2-2, as no way would Newcastle have tried to score a third, and risk losing the game.They would happily have sat back and parked the bus for a couple of minutes, content with a point they gained from absolutely nowhere.

Ian Bennett 32Posted
22/01/2020 at
17:43:57

If your Mrs had let you down as much as Everton had, you'd of walked out years ago.

Nicholas Ryan 33Posted
22/01/2020 at
17:59:55

Rob, [27]….

'Alors, mes amis; Je suis desole …. allex les bleus!

Colin Metcalfe 34Posted
22/01/2020 at
18:07:23

I was in the family enclosure last night and for the ones still there we all sat there in stunned silence but by the time me and my family got home I was fine because its Everton and thats what they do, they are the gift that keeps on giving.

I have been to just 4 games this season Sheffield, Norwich, Leicester in the cup and last night so I am not going to waste any more cash this season and try to zone out of all things Everton until August.

I hope we can recruit some decent players in the summer and move on players like Pickford, Keane, Davies, Walcott etc

Michael Lynch 35Posted
22/01/2020 at
18:29:33

Ancelotti citing Istanbul as evidence that these things can happen takes the biscuit for badly judged comments. Quite why hes reminding us that he was the manager that handed the RS their most glorious moment on a plate is beyond me. Id honestly forgotten that he was the bellend responsible for those sons of Satan “winning” on that dreadful night. Has he learnt nothing since? Booooo!!!

Jeff Armstrong 36Posted
22/01/2020 at
18:59:14

Correct Michael#35, as someone mentioned on another thread he took Crespo off at 3-0 just after half time I think, he has learned nothing from that defeat 15 years ago, as he has been at again in our last 2 home games, this Italian “keep what we hold” mentality is not for me at all, not when teams are there for the taking like last night, why didnt he just sit down, and let the 11 players HE picked, to just carry on enjoying themselves and complete a decent performance.

Neal Kernohan 37Posted
22/01/2020 at
19:55:16

What a cruel game football is. My Northern Ireland team lost the County Antrim Shield at Windsor Park after conceding TWO goals in the 95th and 96th minutes only to watch Everton to do the same at the same time! Four goals in stoppage time lost EFC the match and BALLYMENA UNITED THE CUP FINAL!

Paul Birmingham 38Posted
22/01/2020 at
22:49:17

Most of this team wouldnt even get a pass on Mastermind and are so lack lustre in alertness and urgency.

Just glad that we didnt manage to lose but it feels like a defeat.

For Tom Davis sake, I hope that this lesson sinks in, as any more reckless lungs etc and I sadly think hell be gone this summer, as hes no longer a kid and should be mentally prepared.

But its not all about Tom and Jordon Pickford, dodgy kicking, punching, the whole team, must take the blame.

Now it install a new captain and get some guts and backbone and game management.

Hopefully this is the last of many bad blips this season.

Mark Quinn 39Posted
23/01/2020 at
14:06:13

Steve Carse #5 - brilliant!

Rob Dolby 40Posted
23/01/2020 at
23:14:46

I am sure that player ratings would have been higher if just given for the first 92 minutes.

I thought all 10 outfield players did well. Pleased for Kean, Bernard looked great and was my Motm.

The last 2 minutes are no fluke. This season we have conceded more injury time goals than any other team. We are also shite at defending set pieces so again it shouldn't come as a surprise.

Ancelotti's 3 needless subs added 90 seconds to the match. No subs would have meant clean sheet and 3 points.

Finally the goalie is glued to his line. Is a good shot stopper but poor decision maker. He inspires zero confidence. I just hope he has a good euros and spurs buy him for more than we paid. I would rather have the Stek in goal.

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